


Watch Boy & Lucky Girl: Supernatural

by csgt



Series: Watch Boy & Lucky Girl [2]
Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cousin Incest, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-08-24 13:46:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16641303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/csgt/pseuds/csgt
Summary: Ben and Gwen face a new threat: Ectonurites. Unexpectedly, the original Ghostfreak - Zs'Skayr - offers to help. But is he an ally or an even bigger threat? Meanwhile, Gwen's mother Natalie is increasingly worried about the 'closeness' between Ben and Gwen. (Watch Boy & Lucky Girl sequel)





	1. The Lesser Evil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The road so far...
> 
> After defeating the evil sorcerer Hex and saving the planet Anodyne, Ben and Gwen returned to Earth, but several unpleasant events happened: Charmcaster used the Charm of Luck to seduce Ben, and when Gwen found out, the friendship between them was shaken and Charmcaster left. After this, Ben's parents were kidnapped by Ectonurites, who demanded Ben's surrender. The young hero received a mysterious call stating that the only one who could help him rescue his parents and get out of this situation alive was Zs'Skayr, the alien whose DNA was used as the genetic source for Ghostfreak…

**THE ROAD SO FAR**

* * *

_After defeating the evil sorcerer Hex and saving the planet Anodyne, Ben and Gwen returned to Earth, but several unpleasant events happened: Charmcaster used the Charm of Luck to seduce Ben, and when Gwen found out, the friendship between them was shaken and Charmcaster left. After this, Ben's parents were kidnapped by Ectonurites, who demanded Ben's surrender. The young hero received a mysterious call stating that the only one who could help him rescue his parents and get out of this situation alive was Zs'Skayr, the alien whose DNA was used as the genetic source for Ghostfreak…_

* * *

**NOW**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - The Lesser Evil**

* * *

" _Circulus prensio omnis immundus spiritus,_ " Gwen recited the spell, and a bright circle covered with magical symbols appeared on the floor of the living room of Ben's house. The windows were all closed and covered with curtains, so no curious neighbor could peek at what was going on inside.

Ben positioned himself in the center of the circle and took a deep breath. He didn't like Ghostfreak. Each alien made him feel different: he felt hyperactive as XLR8, he felt calmer and politer as Gray Matter, he felt angry as Benwolf... He was used to the 'mood swings' of the aliens. But with Ghostfreak, it wasn't Ben's personality that changed. He felt another personality entirely different inside his mind, fighting him to take control. This other personality was Zs'Skayr - the original source of Ghostfreak's DNA. And now he would have to leave Zs'Skayr totally in control.

That's what the magic circle was for: to contain the alien while Zs'Skayr was in control. There was no danger. He trusted Gwen's spell. He only felt discomfort with letting it happen. But there was no time to lose: Ben's parents had been kidnapped by Ectonurites and interrogating Zs'Skayr was the only chance to discover anything.

The hero dialed his watch and turned into Ghostfreak, a floating white mass with black stripes of ectoplasm running through his body and a single eye in his head.

"Hello." Zs'Skayr greeted Gwen, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Ben's friends are my friends. My name is Zs'Skayr, but you probably already know that. "

"Cut the crap," Gwen said, "Ben already told me how he is afraid of you, of your evil instincts. You're a demon, and everyone knows there's no such thing as a good demon."

"That name doesn't fit me at all. Besides, some people would say there's no such thing as a good witch too, but I'm sure you wouldn't agree with that, right, my dear? And about my 'evil instincts'," he said making air quotes, "this only happens because Ben tries to repress me, so he ends up getting a lot of raw emotions from me without my intellect to filter them. And I have to confess, being locked up in a cage in the Null-Void for centuries has left me with a lot of strong raw emotions."

"Ben's parents. Where are they, who got them, and how can we save them?" Gwen asked, ignoring Zs'Skayr's explanations.

"First, for you to understand, let me tell you my story. I'm the first and only real Ectonurite to set foot on your planet. I grew attached to you, humans, and I decided to stay here and protect you. Like Vladats and Loboans, Ectonurites can turn other people into Ectonurites too, only willing ones in our case, though, and I turned some humans to help me. People didn't call us demons or ghosts back then, they thought we were angels!" Zs'Skayr said in a passionate tone.

Then he sighed, took a pause and later proceeded, "But even angels can fall. I was betrayed and caged, and most of my former helpers were either killed or let the power go to their heads. The Ectonurites are now synonyms with evil, and their leader is Darius, a vile and putrid man. The only thing I want is to be free, so I can turn the Ectonurites into a force of good again."

He seemed sincere, but Gwen's instincts told her not to trust him.

"Fortunately, I still have some allies among them, people who are not loyal to Darius and want me back. A while ago, I arranged for my DNA to be collected and added to the Omnitrix, so I could make it happen. Unfortunately, my enemies have discovered this and now are looking for the Omnitrix to destroy the means of my return. That's why Darius wants Ben. He'll cut his arm off, destroy the Omnitrix, and I'm pretty sure that afterwards he'll kill Ben and his parents too."

"Let me guess." Gwen folded her arms, "You will help us save Ben's parents if we get you out of your cage?"

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" Zs'Skayr chuckled.

"Shut up!" Gwen yelled.

"Getting me out of the cage would be the best option, indeed, but it would take time, time that Ben's parents probably don't have. Ben just needs to go to Darius' ambush, turn into Ghostfreak and let me do my job. I'm the only chance you have," he said grimly.

Shortly thereafter the beeping sound was heard, the Omnitrix plate on his chest flashed red, and Ghostfreak turned back into Ben.

"That was weird," Ben said, stepping out of the magic circle, "But Zs'Skayr's right. I'm going to have to use Ghostfreak. "

"Have you ever stopped to think that's exactly what he wants? What guarantee do we have that he will keep his word and help us free Uncle Carl and Aunt Sandra? Or that he himself isn't behind everything, and all of this is just a plan to make you vulnerable to his influence?" Gwen argued, "We need a plan that does not involve you using Ghostfreak."

"But do you have one?" Ben asked worriedly.

After a few moments of silence, Gwen finally answered with a confident smile, "I do."

* * *

**The next day...**

"Hello? I'm here to surrender," Ben Tennyson said, entering the abandoned warehouse with his hands up.

There was a group of a dozen people in there, their eyes completely black. They clearly were humans possessed by Ectonurites.

"No cars out there, guys," three possessed men, who were patrolling the area, entered the warehouse right after Ben. "He's clean."

"That's a surprise. I did not expect you to actually turn yourself in," a woman said, "We will have to ask the boss what to do with you. "

"Darius is not here in person? I feel offended by that," Ben said as four men approached him, "Not so fast! I want to see my parents first, or I'll turn alien right now," Ben threatened the henchmen.

"Okay," the woman, who seemed to be the leader, nodded, and a man opened a metal door, revealing Carl and Sandra restrained by ropes in a small room. Meanwhile, the men pinned Ben to the ground and handcuffed him.

Suddenly, a loud noise was heard from above, and a huge hole was cracked open on the roof, from there, Lucky Girl descended with a red metallic alien with forearms filled with water and two tubes of water reaching from a respirator his "mouth" to his back - Overflow.

"What the hell?" The confused villains turned their eyes from Ben to Overflow several times.

'Ben' smiled and turned into a puddle of purple mud, escaping the handcuffs, and then reformed into a pretty blonde girl, "Psych!"

'Ben' was actually Lucy Mann, a Lenopan - part of an alien race with the ability to shapeshift - and a trusted friend of the Tennysons, while the real Ben was actually Overflow.

"Lucy, go save my parents!" Overflow yelled.

The hero knew he couldn't hurt the men and women there. These were probably just innocent people possessed by Ectonurites. Thankfully, he wouldn't have to. Overflow pointed his water cannons at them, "Don't come any closer!"

"Water? Do you think that can hurt us?" one of the Ectonurites mocked him as they stepped closer.

Overflow twirled and blasted them with jets of water. The Ectonurites let out a high-pitched scream of pain. The men and women opened their mouths and expelled small clouds of black smoke from their bodies, "Well, it can when it's filled with salt, and I absorbed a good amount of salt water before I entered here!"

The formerly possessed men and women stared at the scene in front of them in confusion and left the warehouse in a hurry. But now misshapen nightmarish creatures - the Ectonurites in their true forms - were floating around Overflow and Lucky Girl, and they were furious. He tried blasting them with more salt water, but they were very fast and agile.

"Leave this to me," Lucky Girl stretched her hands up, " _Solis Radii_!"

The heroine's hands shined very bright, like a tiny sun. Another high-pitched scream was heard from the Ectonurites, and they turned into black clouds to flee through the air vents and escape the light.

"Did we win?" Ben asked in surprise, turning back to normal.

"We did," Lucky Girl said as she gave Ben a tight hug, "I said we didn't need Ghostfreak." And then she gave him a quick victory peck on the lips.

Ben grinned like a fool, "I love winning."

Gwen just rolled her eyes.

Lucy cleared her throat and gestured for the heroes to tone down the displays of affection as she approached Ben and Gwen followed by Carl and Sandra Tennyson.

Carl and Sandra just stared at everything with a smiley face... They seemed too happy for anyone who had just been kidnapped and had discovered that their son is a superhero. They did not look shocked or surprised. Ben felt a chill up his spine, realizing there was something strange about all that.

"Dad, Mom, are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

Carl and Sandra's eyes turned completely black.

They were possessed too.

"You should have done what you were told," Carl said in a horrifying voice. He pulled out a knife and stabbed himself in the belly. And Sandra did the same thing.

"NOOOOOO!" Ben, Gwen and Lucy screamed at the same time, completely in shock.

"The ectoplasm running in our veins is keeping your parents alive... for now," Sandra said with a gloomy smile as blood poured from the wound, "Let's see if that extra pressure makes you more obedient."

Ben panicked, and his heart stopped beating for a moment.

"What do you guys want?" Lucky Girl asked in a trembling voice.

"This is between the watch boy and us. You two sluts can walk away," Carl said.

"Ben, no. You can't give yourself to them. They'll kill you!" Lucky Girl, desperate, whispered in her cousin's ear.

"I have no choice," Ben said with a hopeless expression on his face, until an idea came to his mind. Ben quickly dialed his watch.

"You don't want to do this!" Carl threatened.

Ben slammed the watch, turned into Ghostfreak, and allowed Zs'Skayr to be in control.

"Lord Zs'Skayr?" The two Ectonurites spoke, trembling with fear.

Ghostfreak put his hands over Carl and Sandra's mouths, and spurted a black liquid - his own ectoplasm - into them. The Ectonurites who were possessing them left their bodies as black clouds and hurried away as fast as they could.

"My ectoplasm will heal Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson now," the ghost alien said, and then completed in a sarcastic tone, "I saved the day. You're welcome."

* * *

**Hours later, in a top secret S.E.C.T. facility somewhere else.**

"How are they, Grandpa?" Ben asked, looking at his parents who were resting in the hospital wing.

"Fortunately, they are recovering very fast, and they will not have any after-effects," Grandpa Max replied.

"Thanks to Ghostfreak's ectoplasm," Ben said.

"Ben, you have to make sure they don't take it anymore. Ectoplasm is very addictive, and when people are under its effect, Ectonurites can possess them. We have to make sure your parents have a complete detox. This worries me a lot more than the injuries," Grandpa Max warned, "And I will personally take care of the safety of my son and my daughter-in-law. I will assign people of my absolute trust to protect your house 24/7. You can be sure of this."

"While I go after the son of a b*tch who gave the order to kidnap them." Ben clenched his fists in anger.

"Calm down, Ben." Grandpa Max put a hand on his shoulder, "Now worry about being with your parents. You have a lot to talk about."

Ben entered the room, gave a kiss on his mother's cheek and another one on his father's cheek, "Hi, Mom, Hi Dad. I'm sorry for putting you two in danger. I'm so glad you're ok. What do you remember? "

"First, you have nothing to apologize for, ok, son? We were having dinner at an inn, and suddenly ghosts showed up," Carl said in a shaky voice, "After they possessed us, it's all a bunch of confusing flashes. I don't remember much until I woke up here. but ... are you a hero, son? "

Ben gulped. He broke out in a cold sweat and didn't say anything for a moment, until he finally decided to tell the truth to his parents from the beginning to end. He told them about Gwen being Lucky Girl too - but he obviously omitted the 'deep friendship' between them. After almost an hour of conversation, Ben's parents' reaction was different than what he expected.

"We'd rather you not risk your life as a hero, but we know something like this is what you've always wanted and you're as stubborn as your grandfather," Carl said with a chuckle, "and we're very proud that you decided to use that watch on your wrist to do good things."

Sandra took her husband's hand in hers and smiled in a silent confirmation of his words. Ben gently squeezed his parents' hands and smiled at them very happy.

* * *

**A few hours later, Gwen's house.**

"Gwendolyn Tennyson, where were you?" Natalie asked with her arms folded in a very displeased voice tone.

"Helping Ben, mom. His parents were kidnapped, but it's all good now," Gwen said in a tired voice.

"Actually, your grandfather called and told us everything," Frank said.

"Did he tell you that Ben is in a very delicate situation right now?" Since the battle in Anodyne, Gwen's parents also knew about her secret identity, so it was easier to talk about certain subjects now, "There's this alien, an Ectonurite named Zs'Skayr. I'm pretty sure he's trying to manipulate Ben. I need to be there with him, to keep him grounded and make sure he's not going to do anything stupid. So, I'm going to have to spend a few days, maybe a few weeks, at Ben's house. Don't worry, I- "

"What? Do you want to move in to your cousin's house?" Natalie asked in surprise.

"It's only temporary, mom. Until this situation is resolved," Gwen argued.

"Do you know what situation needs to be resolved? This ... thing ... between you and Ben. He's a bad influence on you, drags you into these superhero problems. You can have a normal life, finish high school, earn a college degree, find a good job, get rich. This whole Lucky Girl thing will only delay you from reaching your true potential. And ... let's talk about the elephant in the room ... You and Ben are already  _too_  close for cousins and moving into his house for weeks would only make it worse. No way we're going to allow it."

"Mom, this is not fair! I love being a hero and helping people. It helps me to reach my full potential. Potential is not just about money, you should know that, mom!" Gwen said, very upset," And there's nothing wrong between me and Ben. We're just cousins, nothing more."

Gwen glanced at her father for support. But he remained silent, in support of his wife. Angrily, Gwen stormed up the stairs to her bedroom, making sure her parents would hear her loud footsteps to show her unpleasantness with the situation.

Downstairs, Frank argued with Natalie. "Honey, you know Ben is her best friend. With him, she doesn't have to hide what she is or the magical powers that she has. It's healthy for her to have someone her age she can trust."

"It's only healthy until the point the two of them start having sex. We can't be blind to this. The signs are already clear in front of us. There is something going on between our daughter and your nephew, "Natalie said in a reprimanding tone. "What we need to do is make sure Gwen finds another person to connect with very fast. That boy, Natan Salas, is very interested in her. He is perfect: he has magic just like our daughter, so she can be herself around him, but, unlike Ben, he doesn't go out there in the streets looking for bad guys to beat up. Besides, he's handsome, he's from a rich family and he is well educated. He would be an excellent boyfriend to Gwen."

"Well, he is interested in her, but it remains to be seen if Gwen is interested in him." Frank scratched his chin.

"We'll help her with that. I called Natan to have dinner with us here tomorrow. "

"What?" Frank asked in surprise, "Did you tell Gwen about this? Maybe she doesn't want to."

"It's going to be a surprise blind date. I'm sure Gwen will like it," Natalie said with a smirk.

* * *

**Next day at Ben's house.**

Ben insisted on making dinner, so his parents could rest. He was not an expert in the kitchen, but he knew how to prepare rice, instant noodles and bananas and chicken in the air fryer.

As everyone was sitting at the table and eating comfortably, Ben asked, "So, what do you guys think of the dinner?"

"Remember, son, I grew up on your grandfather's cooking. For me, you look like a master chef," Carl started to laugh, and Sandra laughed too. But their laughter ceased abruptly, and their eyes turned completely black with white pupils.

Ben felt a chill run through him.

"Don't worry, Ben. It's me, your old friend Zs'Skayr," Carl and Sandra said in unison.

"Don't do this, Zs'Skayr," Ben said, trying his best to make sure his voice wouldn't break even though he was terrified, "Let them go. Now."

"I said you don't have to worry. I'm your friend. I don't want to hurt your parents. While my ectoplasm is still inside them, I'll take the opportunity to briefly talk to you," Carl and Sandra said together. "We have a common enemy. The only real way to make sure that your parents will never be threatened again is to eliminate Darius once and for all, and I'll tell you how to do that."

**To be continued…**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes
> 
> To all the readers who are still reading/commenting my stories, I am extremely grateful for your support! Any clarification you need, about this or other stories, feel free to ask me. I have several plans in mind and things I should say, but I don't want to blab too much without need LOL


	2. Set-Up

**_THE ROAD SO FAR_ **

_Natan Salas is a young wizard from a Homo Magi family. Natan's father, Roberto 'Bob' Salas, is a famous stage magician. Nine out of every ten tricks he performs on his television show, he explains how they're done, but the tenth one - the secret trick - he does with real magic. Natan likes Gwen Tennyson, and Gwen's mother, Natalie, would love to see them together - especially now that she's suspicious of something going on between Gwen and Ben._

_Carl and Sandra, Ben's parents, were kidnaped by Ectonurites, who fatally wounded them. Out of options, Ben turned into Ghostfreak, an alien whose DNA comes from a being known as Zs'Skayr, whose real intentions are still unclear. Zs'Skayr was able to save the lives of Ben's parents with ectoplasm, but later Zs'Skayr seized the opportunity to hijack their bodies..._

**_NOW_ **

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Set-Up**

* * *

Ben took a deep breath, trying to keep calm, "Say what you have to say, then get out of my parents' bodies, Zs'Skayr," he said, unable to hide his anger.

"Am I sensing a little bit of distrust in the air?" 'Carl' and 'Sandra' said in unison. The voices were theirs, but the words were Zs'SKayr's, "Through your Ghostfreak, I saved your parents. I thought we were like best friends forever now."

"You used Ghostfreak to put your ectoplasm inside my parents, and now you are possessing them. So, it's not like you saved them out of kindness, but because you had ulterior motives." Ben folded his arms.

'Carl' and 'Sandra' sighed at the same time. "I'm sorry about that," they said, "I know you're uncomfortable with ... this ... but, like I said, I'm stuck in a magical cage in a very bad place called the Null-Void, and the ways I have to voice myself are severely limited. But don't worry, once this is all over, I'll return Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson unharmed."

"What's going to be over?" Ben asked worriedly.

"Darius, our common enemy. We need to finish him," 'Carl' and 'Sandra' said.

"And get you out of your cage so you can resume your business in his place," Ben sarcastically completed what Zs'Skayr didn't say.

"I'm nothing like Darius," 'Carl' and 'Sandra' said, "I'll tell you something. Ectonurites are sustained by a special form of mana ... Do you know how Darius gets enough to feed himself and his army?"

"Forcing wizards to give this mana to them?" Ben asked.

'Carl' and 'Sandra' chuckled, "You wish. Very powerful and experienced wizards can prepare this type of mana, but it takes time. The other source they have is much easier to get. This special mana is inside many living beings, like humans... it's their life force."

"They literally suck the very life out of people." Ben bit his lip. "And you don't do that?"

"I, as a 'pure' Ectonurite, recharge my mana by myself. But 'turned' Ectonurites like Darius can't do that. I have enough to feed hundreds of Ectonurites like him, but, like I said, I'm locked up. If I weren't, I could make the Ectonurites stop killing people and we would save thousands. But tonight, we can save a life and take down one of Darius's lieutenants, killing two birds with one stone," 'Sandra' said.

"They feed on life force, but there is a but," 'Carl' continued, "It's a very unstable kind of energy. A ghost simply sucking the vital energy out of a person would be the same as a human eating a fugu pufferfish without preparing it right before. Highly poisonous. The only safe way for Ectonurites to feed on life force is if it is given up willingly."

Ben laughed, "No one would give up their lives for ..." Then he froze, "Deals. They make deals with people."

'Carl' and 'Sandra' nodded. "Smart boy. You take the liver off the fugu pufferfish, and it is no longer poisonous. The policy of Darius and his associates is to give people whatever they want and ten years to enjoy it. Then it's time for the feast. My spies know that tonight one of his trusted men, Barthamus, will feed, and they know where the victim is." He told Ben the address. "We're going to stop it."

"Correction: I will." Ben slammed the Omnitrix and turned into XLR8. The speedster alien grabbed the salt shaker and sprayed it all over Carl and Sandra. "You're leaving."

But to the hero's surprise, nothing happened except a few grunts of dissatisfaction on the part of Zs'Skayr.

"This only works with turned Ectonurites, not me."

"Crap!" XLR8 ran again and picked up ropes to tie Carl and Sandra to chairs.

"Come on." They rolled their eyes, "I have experience on this subject, you need my assistance. You can't do it alone."

"I won't do it alone. I'm going to call my partner."

* * *

**Meanwhile at Gwen's house…**

Ding-Dong, the doorbell rang.

Natalie went to answer it with a smile on her face. She already imagined who was there.

"Hello, Mrs. Tennyson, thank you again for the invitation to have dinner at your house," Natan Salas, a handsome young man with long curly hair and light brown skin, very well-dressed, was standing at the house gate holding a box of chocolates. Natalie's smile widened at the sight of that box: she knew the brand, it was a delicious and very expensive Belgian chocolate.

Natalie greeted the boy and invited him inside. Frank shook the young man's hand too.

"Natan, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but I will," Natalie said a bit hesitantly, "My daughter likes you very much, she told me that herself. But she's not sure if you like her..."

"I really like her too. You can be sure," Natan said.

"I know, I know," Natalie continued, "But try to understand Gwen. You're a celebrity, you're rich- "

Natan giggled. "My father is these things, Mrs. Tennyson, not me."

"She's very afraid of being just one more girl in your life. And she'll test you. She will not show interest in you. She will probably turn you down. Might even say that she didn't even want to meet you today. Gwen thinks that if you give up, it's because you don't like her that much. But if you're persistent, it's because you really like her, and she'll feel that she can have a relationship with you."

"Thank you so much for telling me this, Mrs. Tennyson! I will not give up," Natan replied.

Natalie smiled, "You're welcome. I'm going to call Gwen now."

Frank and Natan stayed in the living room having some small talk while Natalie went upstairs into Gwen's room.

"Who is it, mom?" Gwen was lying on the bed as she read a book.

"Your future boyfriend, Natan, came to see you."

"What? You did not tell him I'm interested in him, did you?" Gwen asked, widening her eyes.

"And is it a lie?" Natalie folded her arms. "You have a crush on him. You always watch Natan's father's TV show, and Natan draws sighs from you every time he makes an appearance."

Gwen facepalmed. "Mom! I don't believe you! Natan was my celebrity crush before, but that's past! I thought I made it clear for you to expect nothing more than friendship between me and him!"

"Why?" Natalie arched her eyebrows, "What changed from a few months ago to now?"

 _"I fell in love with Ben,"_  Gwen thought, but didn't say it out loud, "I met Natan back at Anodyne, and I decided we'd be better off just as friends," she said, "and he'll be very disappointed when he learns of your little trick."

"No, he won't, because you will not make this gross discourtesy to him. Going out on a few dates won't hurt, after all, you're  _single_ ," Natalie emphasized the word, "What's so wrong with Natan that makes you not even want to get to know him better?"

Gwen already imagined that her mother was suspicious of something happening between her and Ben and that wasn't good. She remained silent and didn't answer the question.

Natalie smiled with satisfaction. "Tonight, Natan is having dinner with us. Put on some nice clothes and come down, please, my dear."

Gwen was wearing short shorts and a nightgown, and she knew it would be better to get a change of clothes. She remembered that seeing her wearing that had a very  _strong effect_  on Ben, and she definitely did not want the same effect on Natan.

She dressed up with nice clothes, but nothing fancy - she didn't want to be rude, but she didn't want to impress anyone either. A little nervous about the situation, when Gwen came down the stairs, she ended up forgetting her cell phone and leaving it on her bed.

When Natan saw her, he sighed and said, "Wow, you look beautiful! I brought these chocolates for you."

Gwen blushed. Natan was a very polite and good boy, just was not the right person for her.

"Natan, it's still early, why don't you and Gwen watch a movie in the living room while I make dinner? Frank, love, you stay here in the kitchen to help me," Natalie suggested.

Natan sat down on the couch and then Gwen too, taking care to sit not too far from him so not to look as if she didn't want to be there - she did consider Natan a friend - but not too close either so he wouldn't get the wrong idea.

"What's your favorite gemstone, Gwen?" Natan asked with a smile.

"I think ... Emeralds," Gwen replied after a little thought.

"Makes sense. You have two in your eyes," Natan said.

Gwen blushed and lowered her head. Then she said in a playful sarcastic tone, "I bet a pick-up line like that for you is like taking a rabbit out of a hat, right? How many girls did you get with this gemstone talk?"

"None yet. You'll be the first," Natan replied with a mischievous grin.

Gwen laughed and blushed again, "Natan, you're a very funny and cute  _friend_ , but-" Then all of a sudden, she felt the pressure of Natan's lips against hers in a stolen kiss.

Gwen broke the kiss and slapped the young wizard, but Natan had a satisfied ' _it was worth it_ ' expression on his face.

The redhead took a deep breath and said, "Natan, I'm sure there's a wonderful girl out there who will be perfect for you ... But it's not me. I don't want to frustrate you or give you false hopes... And I also don't want to be rude, don't get me wrong... but calling you here ... this 'date' ... it was all my mother's idea, not mine. I really like you as a friend, but she made you think it was more than that. You are a good person, and you don't deserve to be tricked like that. I'm really sorry."

Gwen expected that Natan would be disappointed, but if he was, he didn't show it.

"I'm sorry I kissed you, Gwen. I don't want to push you. I'm not going to lie, I really like you, but if you want us to be just friends, then we'll be just friends," he said.

 _"She's playing hard to get, just like her mother said it would be,"_  Natan thought,  _"and I will not give up!"_

Meanwhile, upstairs in Gwen's room, the cell phone started ringing, but no one heard it.

Then in the kitchen the house phone rang. Natalie answered on the first ring, "Hello."

"Hi, Aunt Natalie. This is Ben. I really need to talk to Gwen. It's kind of urgent."

"I'm sorry, dear," Natalie said. "Your cousin is watching a movie with Natan now."

"What? Gwen went to the movie theater with Natan?" Ben asked, not being able to hide his shock.

"Later, I'll let her know that you called," Natalie said. She didn't lie, just avoided giving an answer to Ben's question.

"Ok…"

"Have a good night. Auntie Natalie loves you. Bye, dear," Natalie hung up.

Frank looked at Natalie in amazement. "Why didn't you give the phone to Gwen?"

"No way!" Natalie whispered, "I'm sure a charming boy like Natan will break down her resistance if we give him some time and space, but if Gwen speaks to Ben now, she'll feel guilty and all the progress they could have today is not going to happen!"

"Natalie, you still think Ben and Gwen are ..." Frank rolled his eyes. "What if it's a superhero problem? What if he needs her help? "

"One more reason to keep Gwen out of it. Going out on the streets with Ben looking for villains is not the life we want for our daughter, Frank! If Ben needs help, he can call S.E.C.T. "

* * *

Ben was very nervous, and he started to run his hands through his hair, leaving his hair as messy as his current mental state.

"Next time I see Natan's face, I'm going to use the Omnitrix! Oh, I will! And why is Gwen doing this? I have to talk to her and get to the bottom of this... CRAP!"

Ben tried to calm down. As frustrated as he was, he had a job to do. Ben went to the kitchen where Carl and Sandra were still tied to a chair, and said very angry, "Zs'Skayr, I'll take care of you later. Now, I'm going after that Barthamus guy you were talking about. "

 _"I really need to blow off some steam,"_  Ben thought.

"Hey," Carl-Zs'Skayr yelled, "You think you're going to beat an Ectonourite by pecking him, you cuckold?"

"What did you say?" Ben turned back angrily, "I swear, if you were not in my parents' bodies, I'd kill you right here and right now, you demon son of a b****!"

"Look at you, Ben, you look like crap! Mad, angry, out of control! You get out of here like this, alone, to face a powerful enemy, you're going to die, and you know it. Don't do this, Ben. I'm begging you, let me help you!"

Ben breathed heavily for a few seconds.

"I'm going to get out of your mother, and I'll take a ride on your father. Alright?" Zs'Skayr said.

Ben nodded. "Fine. Let's go."

* * *

Ben and 'Carl' arrived at the address, a country house in a quiet place. It was dark and snowing. Hidden in the midst of the trees, no one could see them, but through a window, they could see inside the house a dark-skinned man sitting next to a fireplace.

"This man is the victim. Our target will appear soon," 'Carl' said, "You have a Petrosapien on your watch, turn into him. Their crystals are perfect for what we need."

Ben turned into Diamondhead and made a stake.

"Great," 'Carl' held the stake, and it began to glow in a dark light, "I'm charging this with ectoplasmic energy. So, when you stab the Ectonurite with it, he's going to die."

"What if he's possessing someone, like you are doing now? I'm not going to kill an innocent person," the hero said.

"I'm doing this because I have no choice. It's night, he will not need a body to protect himself from the sun. Besides, he can't feed if he is possessing someone. Don't worry."

Ben and 'Carl' waited for another half an hour until the house lights started flickering and the temperature suddenly dropped. And then finally the Ectonurite appeared. As Zs'Skayr had said, he was in his true form, a hideous ugly ghost that looked like a rotten corpse.

Ben was about to act, but 'Carl' held him back, "Wait until he goes to feed. That's when he'll be vulnerable and distracted. Trust me, please."

Unwillingly, Ben obeyed.

"Most people usually try to run now," the ghost said in a calm and horrifying voice.

"I-I'm-I'm at peace," the man said, with a lot of fear, but also determination in his voice.

"I've made deals with many people, but I can't remember all of them. What did I give you? Money? Fame? Women? Cured some disease? No matter how good the last ten years have been, everyone regrets when I start making them agonize. Every single one," the ghost said, clearly taking pleasure in tormenting the poor man.

Ben held the stake tight and felt a huge rage burning up inside. He wanted to kill that demon more than anything now.

The man shed a tear, "M-My d-daughter. She was just a kid ... She was kidnapped ... I know what these monsters do to little girls ... The police had no clues ... But you knew where to find her... I would do anything to save her..."

"Oh, I remember now! I saved the little girl. You made me be a hero, you made me do something good... That was  _disgusting_! If you had asked me for money, I would give you a quick death now, but because of that, I will prolong your suffering," the Ectonurite grabbed the man's neck. The man screamed in pain, and from his nostrils a thread of energy began to flow into the demon's mouth.

At that moment, Ben jumped in and, with a grunt of anger, pierced the ghost with the diamond stake.

The Ectonurite stared at Ben in surprise and let out a shrieking scream before exploding. Liquid ectoplasm spread all over the room.

"Thank you," the man said relieved. "You saved my life! I don't know how to repay you."

"You're welcome," Ben ran his hand over his face, and realized that it was all dirty with ectoplasm as well, "Since you want to repay me, I'll take a towel to clean myself."

* * *

 

A few minutes later, Ben left the house. Carl-Zs'Skayr patted the boy in the back and said, "Great job, son. Get ready, because we still have a lot more to do."

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	3. Who Let The Dogs Out?

**THE ROAD SO FAR**

* * *

_Ben's parents were kidnaped by Ectonurites supposedly led by Darius. With the help of Zs'Skayr - an alien who is the genetic source of Ghostfreak's DNA - Ben was able to save the lives of his parents with ectoplasm, but later Zs'Skayr seized the opportunity to possess Ben's father._

_Gwen's mother Natalie told Natan Salas that Gwen was interested in him and invited him for dinner at their house. When Ben tried to contact Gwen over the phone, Natalie made him believe Gwen was on a date with Natan, leaving him heartbroken._

_With Zs'Skayr's help, Ben killed one of Darius' lieutenants._

* * *

**NOW**

* * *

**Chapter 3 - Who Let The Dogs Out?**

* * *

Late at night, Ben and Zs'Skayr - still possessing Carl Tennyson - returned to Ben's house.

"Now, let my father go." Ben folded his arms.

"Without my information and without my help, that innocent man we saved earlier would have died. We can save many lives, Ben," Carl-Zs'Skayr argued.

"I really appreciate that, but I'm worried about my dad's life now," Ben said in a very serious tone, "Either you leave on your own, or I'll lock you up again and wait until the effect of the Ectoplasm wears off and my father returns to normal."

"I agree that we don't need to involve your father in our business, of course. You should only drink a little bit of Ectoplasm, and-"

"And you're going to possess me and have full control over the Omnitrix and all my aliens," Ben said sarcastically.

"It would be the quickest way to end Darius and keep your family safe, a goal that you and I have in common," Carl-Zs'Skayr replied, "And I can help you with something else too... The pain that you're feeling because of Gwen's betrayal... I can make it go away, son. "

"Shut up!" Ben replied angrily, "And don't call me son. You're not my father!"

"Alright, alright." Carl-Zs'Skayr raised his hands defensively, "But think carefully about everything I told you, please. You need me, and I need you. "

Carl blinked a few times, and his eyes - once completely black with white pupils - turned back to normal.

"What happened?" Carl asked confused.

"You're just tired, Dad. Come on, I'll help you get to the bedroom. Mom is already sleeping." Although Ben's parents now knew he was a hero, Ben chose not to tell Carl what had happened to him that night.

Before going to sleep, Ben looked at his cell phone and saw that there was a missed call and a message from Gwen, _"I'm sorry, Ben, but we had visitors here. I forgot the phone in my bedroom, and I didn't hear you calling. I'm going to sleep, but I'll leave the phone on. If you need me, you can call anytime, okay? I love you, baby cuz."_ _  
_  
Ben had mixed feelings as he read the message. He liked the tender tone of it, while his pessimistic side expected something cold like  _"I'm dating Natan now. Bye."_  On the other hand, he was quite upset because he knew about Natan, and the optimistic side of him expected a good explanation from Gwen without him having to bring up the subject.

He also liked that Gwen said she loved him. But she called him a cousin. Was that a subtle way of saying she loved him just as a cousin? ( _Do 'normal' cousins actually love each other?_ ) Or was the cousin's part only a red herring in case someone else - like her parents - were to see the message? Or did she just genuinely prefer to call him 'baby cuz' rather than some clichê cheesy affectionate nickname? ( _was that weird or hot?_ )

Ben knew he was not thinking clearly at the moment. He was tired and it was late. The best thing to do would be to go to sleep and figure things out the next day.

* * *

Ben and his parents went to lunch at Gwen's house - these small family gatherings between the Tennyson brothers, Carl and Frank, happened very often.

"Carl, Sandra, Ben, I have to tell you the news!" Natalie said with a broad smile as everyone was eating, "Yesterday, Gwen's new boyfriend, Natan Salas - yes, the son of that famous magician - came to visit us! I gave the lovebirds some privacy, of course, but I peeked a bit from the kitchen, and I saw that Gwen even let Natan kiss her!"

"WHAT?" Ben almost choked. He knew he had to pretend something like that didn't bother him there in front of everyone, but that was very difficult. Gwen let a boy kiss her?

"Mother!" Gwen complained, "Natan is not my boyfriend! And I did  **not**  let him kiss me. I like him just as a friend. I told you that a thousand times, and I said the same to him too, right after I slapped him across the face for stealing that kiss."

"I used to do this all the time when I was still dating your father, dear." Natalie giggled. "When we were around other people, I'd let Frank 'steal' a kiss from me, and then I'd slap him to pretend I was angry because I didn't want anyone to know that I gave him so much freedom. Remember that, love? "

"I remember, honey, but you're embarrassing Gwen," Frank said, noticing their daughter's clear nervousness at those comments.

Ben completely forgot about the food on his plate. There were many thoughts buzzing around in his mind - all about what to do to Natan as a punishment for kissing his girlfriend. He could roll over him using Cannonbolt, or he could use Wildvine and grow some very painful seed to use against him or let Benwolf's animalistic instincts take over and "tell Natan something".

Natalie noticed her nephew's obvious annoyance, "Ben, my dear, why don't you ask out that girl, Lucy, Camille's cousin? Joel told Frank that she's also training to be a S.E.C.T. agent, just like you. You and Lucy would make a perfect couple. "

"Mom, can you stop playing matchmaker?" Gwen was visibly annoyed at Natalie's suggestion.

"Sweetheart, it almost sounds like you want your cousin to be single forever!" Natalie scolded her.

After Gwen and Ben had finished their lunch, Gwen called Ben to play video games in his bedroom, an excuse for them to talk away from their parents.

"Oh, when I get my hands on that Natan, he will learn what's good for him..." Ben said, frowning with anger.

"Well, it wasn't exactly his fault. My mom gave him the wrong idea. She made him believe I liked him, and he had no idea I have a boyfriend. Me slapping him was punishment enough, I guess." Gwen said.

"Still, stealing a kiss is unacceptable! He deserves a bigger punishment. At least a good scare and some scratches," Ben said, with one hand over the Omnitrix.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "I could agree with you, but did you forget you stole a kiss from me too when we were at the Spider-Apes' Island?"

Ben scratched his head. "Err... you let me steal that kiss, and you had no boyfriend back then."

"I did not let you steal anything, and I didn't have a boyfriend, but you thought I had one, and you kissed me anyway, Doofus! What did you deserve for doing that?" Gwen asked.

"Okay, maybe the slap was punishment enough for Natan for now, but if he does that again, I'll teach him a lesson he will never forget," Ben took his hand off the Omnitrix. Then he sighed and asked hesitantly, "Be honest with me, Gwen, please. Do you like him? I know you loved seeing him on TV, and you went to the movies with him on a date! Why would you do that?"

"Ben," she looked deep into his eyes, "I did not go anywhere with Natan. He came to my house, and we watched a movie while my parents were making dinner. Inviting him was my mother's idea, and I didn't even know it. And, yes, I used to have a crush on Natan before, just like I've had other boyfriends before, but... Ben... it's you. It's always been you, and now I can't ignore the fact that anyone else is not you, and I want you." Gwen pressed her lips against Ben's in a chaste kiss that lasted a few seconds, but much less than Ben wanted - they couldn't risk their parents catching them kissing.

"Let's tell them, Gwen." Ben held the redhead's hands. "They'll be mad, but I know Aunt Natalie. She didn't want to tell anyone about the wizard blood in your family. She'll want to keep this a secret as well, and she will know that if she keeps pushing more 'boyfriends' on you, you're going to tell them the truth, so she will stop to keep the secret. Honestly, I think she already knows about us."

Gwen let out a deep sigh. "My mother knows, but it's all intuition. My dad doesn't even believe she's right, and it's better to keep things that way... There's this company. They offered a job for my dad, but then we would have to move. Dad really likes it here and he doesn't think the extra money would be worth the change, so he didn't accept the offer. But I am afraid that if he knew, he would accept it, to separate the two of us."

"Crap!" Ben lowered his head.

"Let's try to solve the easier problem first. Why did you call me yesterday, Ben?" Gwen asked.

Ben told her the whole story about Zs'Skayr and the Ectonurite they killed.

"I'm sorry I was not there to help you, Ben. Anyway, you can't let Zs'Skayr possess you," Gwen warned.

"I know. But I also can't ignore Darius and his Ectonurites. They already came after my family! And Zs'Skayr is right, without his intel, an innocent man would have died last night."

Gwen scratched her chin, and remained in deep thought for a few seconds, until she said, "I think I have an idea ... But it's morally wrong. I'm not sure if we should do it. Your call."

Ben was staring at Gwen's lips as she talked... "I'm ready to do a lot of morally wrong things with you, cuz... I-I m-mean, what's your idea, cuz?"

* * *

**That night, outside Bellwood Hospital.**

Ghostfreak phased through the hospital walls and into a patient's room, a young blond man in a vegetative state.

"Who is this guy?" Zs'Skayr's voice echoed in Ghostfreak's head.

"A former neighbor of mine. His name is Nick. When he was 18, he got involved in a car accident. He has been like this ever since. His parents divorced, got married again to other people and moved out of town... No one cares about him anymore ... A charity institution covers his expenses here," Ben's melancholic voice answered back.

"Wait a second! You don't want-" Zs'Skayr began to say.

"I really hate the idea of doing this to Nick, but I can't bring Darius down without your help." Ghostfreak placed his hand over the young man's open mouth and let Ectoplasm drip on it. "After this is over, you will bring Nick back here, do you hear me?"

A few seconds later, Nick's eyes turned completely black with white pupils.

"I can't believe you gave me a broken vessel!" Zs'Skayr - now possessing Nick - complained as he got up from the bed. "I am still trapped in a cage in the Null Void, and my powers are severely limited here. I can't do much with this guy. I need you to make it work, Ben! Grab a glass, put some of Ghostfreak's Ectoplasm in it, and drink it when you get back to human form, please. We will end Darius quickly."

"Honestly, I do not trust you enough to give you complete control over me and all my aliens," Ghostfreak replied.

Nick let out a long sigh, "Okay, it's going to be harder this way, but I'll see what I can do. I have your phone number, when I feel like this body needs a recharge of Ectoplasm, or if I need your help, I'll call you. And when you need me, just turn into my genetic copy Ghostfreak, and I will literally be inside your head."

Nick jumped out of the bedroom window, graciously fell on the floor, and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

* * *

A few days later, Ben received a call from Zs'Skayr asking to meet him at a nightclub in New York City. With the speed of XLR8, it wasn't long before Ben arrived there, with Gwen tagging along.

At the entrance, Ben and Gwen identified themselves as "Nick's guests", and their entry was immediately allowed.

"I can already imagine my mother complaining about me coming to a place like this," Gwen whispered to Ben, as they followed a security guard towards the VIP area, past the crowd dancing to electronic music.

"And I can already imagine your mother complaining about you coming to a place like this  _with me_ ," Ben replied.

"And don't forget we're here to meet a ghost, which makes things even worse," Gwen said and they both laughed, even as the laughter was muffled by the loud noise of the music in the background.

The VIP area was a quieter place, lit by a blue flickering light. There were a few comfortable velvet sofas there too. 'Nick' was dressed in an elegant purple suit, with pink tie and black social trousers. In another couch across from Nick, there were two very attractive twin sisters with shoulder-length reddish-brown hair wearing matching purple dresses with black stripes. The dresses were very short, leaving their legs exposed, and skin-tight. They appeared to be only a couple of years older than Ben and Gwen.

The twins stood up and each grabbed one of Ben's arms, "Come play with us, handsome!" they said in unison in a seductive voice.

"S-Sorry, I-I already have a girlfriend," Ben replied very nervous. He was actually glad he had the 'I have a girlfriend' excuse, because there was just something off about those sisters that he couldn't quite explain what it was, but it was making him have a  _really_  bad feeling about them, despite their stunning looks.

"Get your hands off him or you two will not have hands anymore!" Gwen pushed them away from Ben, very furious. She seemed oblivious to Ben's negative feelings and was acting out of jealousy.

The sisters stared at Gwen with an angry frown.

"Girls, I'm sorry. You can go now, please," Nick-Zs'Skayr said. The twins left as requested, but visibly upset.

"We thought you'd be using your resources to defeat Darius, but it looks like you're having fun in nightclubs and hiring prostitutes. Ben will not give you a recharge of Ectoplasm again," Gwen said with her arms folded.

"This nightclub is the last place Darius is going to look for me. And the twins, they're not what you think. A very long time ago, they were alone in the world. I turned them into Ectonurites, and I took them under my wing as if they were my daughters."

" _This explains that bad feeling in my gut,"_ Ben thought.

"Those girls are one of the few who have remained loyal to me  _and_  survived Darius's 'coup d'état'. We were discussing attack plans before you arrived," Nick-Zs'Skayr proceeded, "Please, forgive them. They're overly flirtatious sometimes." He forced a smile.

Gwen didn't buy that. She was sure that Zs'Skayr actually expected her and Ben to have broken up over Natan and had instructed his… daughters? nieces? whatever… to prey on a vulnerable Ben.

"Please, sit down, I need to discuss something important with you. Do you want drinks? It's on me," Nick-Zs'Skayr asked.

"We don't," Gwen refused before Ben could say anything, and then whispered in his ear, "We don't know what he might put in the drink ... and you're too young to drink anyway."

"Hey, of course I know better than to accept drinks from strangers," Ben whispered back.

"Straight to the point then," Nick said, "Today is the D-day. We found the current locations of Darius and some of his top lieutenants. In a few hours, my people will move forward with simultaneous surgical strikes everywhere across the globe. I'll take care of Darius myself. He is very powerful, I admit, but if you let me borrow you for a few hours, Ben, I'm sure I can handle this easily."

"No way," Gwen interjected, "We will help you defeat this guy, but you will never possess Ben."

Nick-Zs'Skayr sighed, "I'm not sure if a host like Nick can take this kind of fight, but ok. I'm going to need an Ectoplasm recharge from my genetic copy now before we go, Ben."

* * *

Hidden in the midst of the trees, Ben, Lucky Girl and Zs'Skayr could see an old building. It used to be an asylum, already decommissioned many years ago. But though it appeared abandoned and empty on the outside, it was Darius' 'palace', and it was full of Ectonurites.

"I'm ready," Ben said with his hand over the Omnitrix.

"Go with my genetic clone. Fight Ectoplasm with Ectoplasm," Nick-Zs'Skayr suggested.

Ben nodded, but when he slammed the watched, he accidentally turned into Benwolf instead of Ghostfreak.

"Benwolf might not be a ghost, but Benwolf can beat any ghost!" The lupine alien said in his usual angry tone voice.

"What an amateur mistake. That's why I wish you had let me take control..." Nick rolled his eyes. Then he grabbed Benwolf's hands, which glowed in a black light for a few seconds.

"What have you done to Benwolf, ghost?" The alien hero snarled.

"I've charged your claws with Ectoplasmic energy so you can hurt any Ectonurite in our way. You're welcome," Nick said, visibly annoyed at Benwolf's temper.

Lucky Girl couldn't help but to laugh at Ben's angriest alien.

"What are you laughing at, Lucky Girl?" Benwolf turned his attention to the heroine.

"You, Benwolf. Why?" Lucky Girl said, with her hands on her waist and a defiant look on her masked face.

Benwolf stood mere inches away from Lucky Girl, lowered his head, and... licked her mouth.

"Eww, this again..." Lucky Girl complained as she wiped Benwolf's drool.

"You're lucky that this dog here loves pretty kitty cats," Benwolf said, "Now let's go!"

"I think we should wait for the watch to time out and let you get another alien," Nick-Zs'Skayr suggested.

"Let me tell you something, Zs'Skayr, if you're scared and want to stay here, stay. But Benwolf will finish off Darius tonight!" Benwolf ran toward the asylum.

"Damn," Zs'Skayr and Gwen chased after him. The three of them entered the building after Benwolf brought down the front door.

The place was full of scary Ectonurites, but they themselves were frightened by the arrival of the trio and only followed them at a distance, without any attempt to attack.

"That's it! You ghosts are right to be afraid of Benwolf!" The lupine alien snarled as the trio advanced.

"They are not afraid of you. They are afraid of me. They've never felt an ectoplasmic aura like mine before," Nick-Zs'Skayr stated. And then he spoke in a louder voice, addressing the Ectonurites there, "You don't know me personally, but you certainly heard whispers and legends about me. I am Zs'Skayr, your true High Ecto-Lord!"

They heard a laughter from a distance, "High Ecto-Lord? I had forgotten about your talent for coming up with ridiculous titles, old friend." Seeming comfortably seated on a throne in the main hall, there was a ghostly figure who looked like a man in a white suit. The scariest thing about him were his blood red eyes. It was Darius.

Nick shot a death glare at him, "I'm going to kill you, traitor."

"If it were that easy, you would have done it already, old pal," Darius said with a smirk, "Of course, I have to give you credit. You're possessing someone here on Earth while you're still rotting in that cage in the Null-Void. It's a good trick, but it's all smoke and mirrors. Your powers are deeply limited in this state. Unlike me," and then Darius addressed the Ectonurites around him, "and I am going to kill anyone who refuses to attack the intruder!" he yelled.

"And I am going to kill anyone who stands with Darius!" Zs'Skayr shouted in response, "Even with 'limited' powers, I am still far more powerful than this fake king, or he would not be so afraid of facing me himself. Choose a side wisely, children."

The Ectonurites turned their heads back and forth between Zs'Skayr and Darius several times, until one of them simply flew upwards and phased through the ceiling, opting for running away. Immediately, all the others followed him.

"Looks like it's just us now," Nick smirked.

"Benwolf is tired of all this talk!" Benwolf jumped at Darius's throne, but was intercepted mid-air by a huge white dog with tentacles on its back and sharp claws.

Benwolf engulfed in combat with the canine ghost, "Let me tell you something, ugly dog, this is a dogfight, and Benwolf is the biggest dog of them all!" Using his claws, Benwolf shoved the dog away.

But several other ghost dogs joined the first one and began to circle around the trio. Lucky Girl noticed that the beasts looked like demonic versions of Ben's alien Wildmutt.

"Zs'Skayr, old friend, I know very well that humans are not always as loyal as we expect them to be. Fortunately, it is possible to turn beings from other, more loyal, species into Ectonurites too, such as Vulpimancers." Darius smiled as he petted one of the ghost dogs. Then he began levitating toward the ceiling. "I'm afraid I'll have to leave now, important appointments I can't miss and all this stuff, but don't worry, my pets will keep you company. GET THEM, BOYS!"

**To be continued**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Again, I'm sorry about the long delay. I was working on a Bwen video project that was taking too much of my writing time. I decided to pause it so I could get back to writing. If you are interested in my progress on the video, send me a PM or add me at discord - csgt#2995 - we also have a Bwen group there.
> 
> * Ben stole a kiss from Gwen back in WB&LG chapter 10.
> 
> * Lucky Girl comments "this again" because Benwolf also licked her back in WB&LG chaper 19. Also, I made my Benwolf into a composite character between Benwolf and Rath, because I think both are very similar (even MOA thinks that too, since in the Reboot Kevin will get a Loboan alien as a counterpart to Ben's Rath). I've actually been doing that ever since I introduced Benwolf - he already used Rath's catchphrase when talking to Kevin, and there have been many references to his animalistic instincts and anger as something Ben can't quite control.
> 
> * The Ectonurite Twins are unnamed minor characters from Omniverse. I'm accepting name suggestions for them.


End file.
